Toy gun



Sept. 29, 1936. c. Ff LEFEVER TOY GUN Filed March 11, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVIENTOR CHARLESFLEFEVER BY mm /W ATTORNEYS Sept. 29, 1936. c. F. LEFEVER TOY GUN Filed March 11, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CHARLES F- LE. FEVER ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 29, 1936 TOY GUN Charles F. Lefever, Plymouth, Mich, assignor to Daisy Manufacturing Company, Plymouth, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application March 11, 1935, Serial No. 10,552

10 Claims. (01.46-178) The invention relates to toy guns of the character of pop guns which make a report without discharging a projectile. It is the object of thev invention to obtain a simplified construction which can be manufactured at low cost and which when fired produces an exceptionally loud report. To this end the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical central longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-4, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section similar to a portion of Fig. 1 .3 showing the pop mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of assembling the parts;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 6-6, Fig. 1, also illustrating the manner of assembling the parts;

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a similar View showing the clinching ears;

Fig. 9 is a plan View of the blank from which the barrel is formed.

My improved gun is of a form which simulates a fictitious structure assumed to have extraordinary powers. This form is one in which the muzzle end of the gun is flared and is provided 39 with an upwardly extending fin forming a sight.

It is further provided with a flaring guard between the barrel and the frame of the gun and the frame portion is of peculiar shape. To produce a gun of such form together with a. pop mechanism at low cost I have designed a structure having the following elements.

The barrel A is formed from a single sheet metal blank fashioned to form as an integral portion thereof a flaring muzzle end B and the 40 upwardly extending forward sight C. The edges of the blank are brought together at the top of the barrel and the sight portion C is formed by correspondingly shaped flanges which arespot welded to each other to retain the barrel in closed position. Within the barrel inserted through the muzzle end thereof is a seamless air cylinder D which is held from displacement either forwardly or rearwardly by detents A and A struck inwardly from the barrel. The forward end of this air cylinder has an inwardly extending flange D terminating in a forwardly extending flange D surrounding an aperture of smaller diameter than the cylinder. In front of the flange D is a metal disc E and in front of this disc is a tapering helical spring F, its small end being at the rear and bearing against the disc and its large end engaging the flaring portion of the barrel. This spring can be inserted through the muzzle end and is then held from displacement by ears G on. the

end of the barrel blank turned over the outer 5 end coil on the spring. The rear end of the barrel blank has a cut away portion A which in the formed barrel forms an opening in the lower side thereof. Through this opening is inserted the plunger H for engaging the cylinder D being 1Q preferably formed of two metal discs H and H with an intermediate felt disc H The plunger shank I extends rearwardly and also has a portion I extending forwardly through the opening surrounded by the flange D and adapted in the 15 normal position of the plunger to displace the disc E from seating on said flange. The rear end of the shankis formed with a return bent portion I which bears against the upper surface of the barrel to form a guide and which has a down- 2Q wardly extending portion I for engagement with the. trigger sear. Surrounding the plunger I bearing at its forward end against the disc H is a helical spring J which can be inserted with the plunger I-I through the opening A in the barrel 5 and which after insertion is engaged with a downwardly extending tongue J struck inward from the barrel. This forms a spring abutment so positioned with respect to the length of the spring as to place the latter under the desired tension. 3Q

Pivoted in the rear end of the barrel on a cross pin K is a combined trigger and sear K. This has the downwardly extending portion K and the horizontally extending portion K which latter bears against the lower end of the portion 5 I of the plunger shank. The sear is formed by a notch K at the rear end of the portion K adapted to engage with the portion I The frame of the gun is formed by two complementarystampings L having the desired form 4 and having integral therewith the trigger guard L. These stampings are fashioned to embrace the barrel and to form a closure L for the rear end thereof, the barrel being secured to this portion by rearwardly extending tongues A A on 45, the barrel blank extending through apertures in the portion L At their forward ends the frame stampings are held to the barrel by portions L thereof which closely fit the barrel. These portions fit in an annular recess formed by the hub 5 from displacement by outwardly struck detents 55 A. Thus the frame can be quickly assembled with the barrel by first engaging the portions L with the member M and then the tongues A with the apertures in the end portions L and finally turning said tongues to lock the parts in this position. The frame may be further locked by one or more lugs L at the periphery soldered, welded or clinched to each other.

Pivotally connected to the frame is a handle portion N which also forms the means for cooking the gun. This handle portion is formed of two complementary sheet metal stampings having segmental portions N embracing the trigger and the downwardly extending portion I of the plunger shank I. At the end of these segmental portions is a cross pin N adapted to engage with the portion I The handle is pivoted upon a pin secured to the lower portion of the frame and so positioned that when the handle is pulled forward into the dotted position the pin N will engage the portion I drawing it rearward until it registers with the notch K forming the sear. The sear will snap into engagement with the portion I by the resilient tension of a spring P which is arranged between a portion A at the rear of the barrel and a lug on the downwardly extending portion K of the trigger. A boss Q on the frame engaging a corresponding recess on the handle N holds said handle in normal position.

With the construction as described, to cock the gun the handle N is pressed forward, turning on the pivot O and causing the pin N to draw the plunger shank I rearwardly, compressing the spring J and finally engaging the portion I on said shank with the sear K The handle is then returned to normal position in which it locks by the engagement of the boss Q with the recess Q. In this position the plunger H is at the rear end of the barrel D but when the trigger is pulled to disengage the sear the plunger will be moved for- Ward by the tension of the spring J. Just before reaching the forward end of the cylinder D the projecting end I of the plunger shank will strike against the disc E forcing the latter away from its seat on the flange D and by releasing the compressed air in the cylinder making a loud report.

One important feature of my construction is that the enclosure disc E is formed of metal and I have discovered that with such material or with material of a like hardness the report produced is much sharper than where a soft gasket of leather or similar material is between the disc and its seat.

Another important feature of the invention is the construction of the barrel frame and handle which facilitates quick assembly. As has been described, the barrel extends completely through the frame and the complementary sections of the latter are secured to the barrel by sliding their forward end portions L into the annular recess M while the rear ends are held by the tongues A extending through the apertures in the portion L The frame members are further connected to each other by the lugs or ears L and these as preferably formed and as shown in Fig. 5 have a clamping engagement with each other. Thus specifically one of the complementary frame members L has formed thereon notched ears L adapted to receive a down-turned ear L on the other member which is subsequently clinched as shown in Fig. 8. Inasmuch however, as the forward ends L are clamped to the barrel when they are entered into the recess M this would interfere with the engagement of the down-turned ears L with the notched ears L I therefore form the tongues A of greater length than the tongue A so that the former may be engaged with the aperture in the end portion L and one of the frame members before the forward portion L is engaged with the recess M This will temporarily hold the frame member in position while the handle N is placed thereon and engaged with the portion 1 of the plunger shank. The second frame member is then placed over the barrel engaging the ears L with the notched ears L after which both frame members may be slid upon the barrel to engage the portions L with the recess M This will hold the parts together, and finally the ears L are clinched as shown at L Fig. 8, and the tongues A and A are bent downward to permanently hold the parts together. Thus the frame members are secured by their engagement with the barrel and the handle is secured by its engagement with the frame members. The bifurcated portions N of the handle also form a guide for the downturned portion I of the plunger shank, holding it from turning and guiding it into engagement with the sear notch.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a pop gun of the type comprising an air cylinder, a spring actuated plunger for compressing the air in said cylinder and for mechanically displacing a closure at the end of said cylinder resiliently seated thereon, and a closure for said cylinder formed of relatively hard material to resonate and intensify the sound of the report.

2. In a pop gun of the type comprising an air cylinder, a spring actuated plunger for compressing the air in said cylinder and for mechanically displacing a closure at the end of said cylinder resiliently seated thereon, and a closure formed of metal directly seated on said cylinder to resonate and intensify the noise of the report.

3. In a gun, the combination with a barrel having a flaring muzzle and, an air compression cylinder in said barrel in rear of said flaring portion, a spring actuated plunger for compressing the air in said cylinder, and a disc forming a closure seated on the forward end of said cylinder, of a spring for yieldably holding said disc to its seat, said spring being of tapering form with its small end bearing against said disc and its large end in the flaring portion of said barrel and anchored at the forward end thereof.

4. In a gun, a barrel having an integral flaring portion at the muzzle end thereof and apertured in the lower portion of the rear end thereof, an air compression cylinder insertable through the muzzle end of said gun, inwardly struck detents on the barrel of said gun for anchoring said air compression cylinder, a plunger having a shank and a surrounding tapering helical spring insertable through the aperture in the rear end of said barrel into engagement with said cylinder, and an inwardly struck tongue on the flaring portion of said barrel forming an anchor or abutment for the rear end of said spring.

5. In a gun, a barrel, a sleeve surrounding and secured to an intermediate portion of said barrel and having its rear end spaced from the barrel to form an annular recess, complementary frame members mounted on said barrel and having their forward ends slidably engageable with said annular recess, and tongues projecting from opposite sides of the rear end of said barrel engaging apertures in the rear ends of said complementary frame members whereby the clinching of said tongues subsequent to the sliding engagement of the frame members therewith and with said annular recess will hold said frame members on the barrel.

6. In a gun, a barrel, a sleeve surrounding and secured to an intermediate portion of said barrel, the rear end of said sleeve being spaced from the barrel to form an annular recess, complementary frame members mounted on said barrel and having their forward ends slidably engaging said annular recess, tongues projecting from the rear end of said barrel and engaging apertures in the rear end of said complementary frame members, one of said tongues being longer than the other to be engageable with one of the frame members in advance of the engagement of the forward end thereof with said annular recess, complementary ears projecting from said frame members, one being notched and the other having a laterally bent portion for engaging said notch prior to engagement of its frame member with said annular recess and the shorter of said projecting tongues, whereby said frame members may be slid upon said longer tongue into engagement with the shorter tongue and with said annular recess, said tongues and ears being clinched to lock the parts together.

7. In a gun, a barrel having its rear end portion cut away on the under side, a sleeve surrounding and secured to an intermediate portion of said barrel, its rear end being spaced from the barrel to form an annular recess, a plunger, a plunger shank and a spring insertable in said barrel through the cut-away portion thereof, said plunger shank having a downturned rear end portion, complementary frame members mounted on said barrel having their forward ends engageable with said annular recess, tongues projecting from the rear end of the barrel engaging apertures in the rear ends of said complementary frame members and clinched to hold said members in engagement with said annular recess, a handle member pivoted between said complementary frame members, said handle member having a bifurcated segment embracing said downturned portion of said plunger shank and provided with a pin at the forward end of said segment for engaging said downturned portion to retract the plunger against the tension of the spring and a sear for engaging said downturned portion of the plunger shank in its retracted position and a trigger for releasing said sear.

8. In a gun, a barrel having its rear portion cut away on the under side, a plunger, plunger shank and spring assembly insertable in said barrel through the cut-away portion thereof, a combined trigger and sear pivotally mounted in the rear end of said barrel, complementary frame members mounted on the rear portion of said barrel, embracing said combined trigger and sear and cut away to form a trigger guard, giving access to the trigger, a handle member pivotally mounted between said complementary frame members, said handle member being formed of complementary stampings and forming a bifurcated segmental portion above the pivot, a downturned hook on said plunger shank extending between the furcations of said segment, a cross pin at the end of said segment for engaging said downturned portion to retract the same against the tension of said spring into engagement with the sear.

9. In a gun, a barrel having its rear portion cut away on the under side, a plunger, plunger shank and spring assembly insertable in said barrel through the cut-away portion thereof, a tongue struck inward from said barrel forming an anchor for the rear end of the spring, complementary frame members embracing the rear portion of said barrel and secured thereto, a handle member pivotally secured between said complementary frame members and provided with a bifurcated segmental portion above the pivot substantially concentric therewith, a downturned hook at the rear end of said plunger shank extending between the furcations of said segment, a cross pin at the end of said segment for engaging said downturned hook, a combined trigger and sear pivotally secured at the rear of said barrel and extending downward through the cut-away portion thereof, being provided with a portion extending substantially parallel to the barrel adjacent to the lower end of said hook, the forward end of said barrel portion having a notch for engaging said hook to form a sear, and a downwardly extending portion at the forward end of said barrel portion constituting the trigger.

10. In a gun, a barrel apertured in the lower rear end portion thereof, an air cylinder insertable through the muzzle end of said barrel, inwardly struck detents on said barrel for retaining said cylinder in position, a plunger having a shank and a surrounding helical spring insertable in said barrel through the aperture in the rear end portion thereof, said shank having an upwardly projecting return bent portion for bearing on the upper surface of the barrel and a downwardly extending rear end portion, a combined trigger and sear pivoted in the rear end portion of said barrel and having a horizontally extending portion forming a guide for the end of the downwardly extending portion of the plunger shank, the rear end of said horizontal portion of the trigger being notched for engagement with said shank to constitute a sear, means for retracting said shank to compress said spring, and resilient means for yieldably pressing said trigger to engage said shank in its retracted position with said sear.

CHARLES F. LEFEVER. 

